White Sandwich Bread

How we tested

With all the hype about artisanal bread, the sliced stuff in the plastic bags doesn’t get much attention these days, but it should. Many families still go through a loaf or two of sandwich bread every week. So why not buy the best? We gathered eight leading brands of white sandwich bread, in country styles with larger slices whenever possible, and held a blind tasting.

For our first test, tasters sampled the bread plain. Because some of the breads are not available in large slices, we cut the samples into pieces so tasters would focus on taste and texture, not size. Tasters weren’t fooled. They gave top marks to the hearty texture of the two brands that have larger-than-usual slices—1 1/2 ounces each versus 1 ounce for the competition.

Tasters detected big flavor differences, too. Our top-rated brands were deemed the “sweetest” breads in the lineup. There were many complaints about “sour” and “off” notes in the lower-rated brands. It turns out that some of these brands contain vinegar (often added to increase shelf life). Lower-rated breads also contain almost twice as many ingredients as our top-rated breads, with many more additives and preservatives, which may also explain the unpleasant aftertaste.

We then asked tasters to try the breads in grilled cheese sandwiches. Though volunteers for this tasting were plentiful, clear winners were not—all the breads were pretty good. In short, once you slather your bread with butter and load it up with cheese, it gets very hard to tell one brand from another.

For our final test, we prepared simple croutons seasoned only with olive oil and salt. The same two brands that won the plain tasting swept this one. Croutons made from these loaves were consistently ranked as crunchier than the other brands.

The Results

Note: America's Test Kitchen continuously updates our equipment reviews and taste tests. The written content below is the most up-to-date information available and may not match what appears in the video segment.

Winner

Recommended

Arnold Country Classics White Bread

$3.19 for 24 ounces

Arnold Country Classics White Bread

"This is what I expect from sandwich bread," wrote one taster of our top-rated brand. Others agreed, praising its "perfect structure" and "subtle sweetness."

Wonder Country White Bread

Wonder Country White Bread

This upscale version of the bread many of us grew up with was panned as "rather dry and cardboard-like," with a "blah" flavor and "slightly sour aftertaste."

$2.69 for 24 ounces

Sunbeam Giant White Bread

$2.39 for 22 ounces

Sunbeam Giant White Bread

Described as "classic packaged American white bread," this "squishy" bread had a "strong sour flavor" and a "texture like cotton candy" that turned off tasters.

$2.39 for 22 ounces

Freihofer's Country White Bread

$2.69 for 24 ounces

Freihofer's Country White Bread

There were few fans of this bread, which was described as "tasteless," "too soft," and "borderline gummy."

$2.69 for 24 ounces

J.J. Nissen Butter Top White Bread

$2.39 for 20 ounces

J.J. Nissen Butter Top White Bread

"Who calls this fluff ‘bread’?" asked one taster of this "really soft and spongy" bread with "nonexistent" flavor. More "like eating air" than bread, said another.

$2.39 for 20 ounces

Home Pride Butter Top White Bread

$2.39 for 20 ounces

Home Pride Butter Top White Bread

Tasters found this "plasterboard sample" to be so "coarse and dry" that it would be "great for exfoliating your feet"; otherwise, a "waste of flour."

$2.39 for 20 ounces

Country Kitchen Giant White Bread

$2.49 for 22 ounces

Country Kitchen Giant White Bread

This "gutless" bread was deemed "ridiculously soft and bland," with a "plasticky" flavor that "tastes like additives."

$2.49 for 22 ounces

*All products reviewed by America’s Test Kitchen are independently chosen, researched, and reviewed by our editors. We buy products for testing at retail locations and do not accept unsolicited samples for testing. We list suggested sources for recommended products as a convenience to our readers but do not endorse specific retailers. When you choose to purchase our editorial recommendations from the links we provide, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices are subject to change.

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